Can Pets be vegans too?

The Vegetarian Diet for dogs

Today it is known that dogs – which are omnivorous, as are humans – do not need of specific ingredients such as meat; They need specific nutrients.

A vegetarian diet for dogs and cats is already researched for many years and there are several studies on the subject. The adoption of vegetarian diets for dogs is not new – in countries like the United States and England dogs have been fed only plant products for several generations. In the UK, a vegan dog called Bramble achieved the Guinness World Record for being the oldest living dog (at the time of award). Bramble lived all these years on a vegetarian diet of rice, lentils and organic vegetables and lived 27 years.

Therefore, before taking into account the fallacy that is not a “natural” food, should reflect on the validity and quality of the term “natural” in a food. Furthermore, studies show that digestion of various vegetables is not exactly lower than that of products derived from animals in dogs. For more information, read the book Dogs Vegans, Vegetarians Dogs available on site.

A healthy pet vegan diet

Many of the added ingredients in commercial pet foods are by-products of those targeted for human consumption and mainly use discarded parts. Commercial products for animals, in general, are subject to the low quality of the ingredients that make up, and all chemicals such as hormones and pesticides used, which obviously is not a healthy and adequate food. It is also known that many rations to animals can cause allergies.

Following the valuable information in books and talking to experts in the field, you can create a balanced vegetarian diet, and can even give preference to organic products, foods that will keep your dog healthy and strong.

You can follow the suggestions outlined in specialized books to prepare a homemade diet, keeping in mind the supplements necessary to ensure that all the nutrients are being provided properly, or may opt for commercial vegetarian diet.

If you feel uncomfortable with the fact include vitamin supplements in your dog’s diet, remember that there is no food in the market, be it vegetarian or not, that is not supplemented. And vitamin supplements are not harmful to the health of dogs, on the contrary, ensure the health and balance.

Can cats be fed with a vegetarian diet?

Small predators such as cats, when they hunt small animals such as mice and birds, chew and ingest full. As we know, the digestive tract of prey is always full of vegetables, leaves and grains, some already digested, others have not. This naturally omnivorous diet, when consumed by the predator, is digested and assimilated properly. Therefore, an omnivorous or totally vegetarian diet, according to the technological advances, can be considered as natural for both big cats, such as lions, the small carnivores.
In all these years of evolution, the human species, the cat, and the dog they have adapted to an omnivorous diet and even the vegetarian. But in the XXI century, there are those who doubt it and still beat the feet saying that dogs and cats are strict carnivores. Some say that the dog is a carnivore optional and, therefore, already have settled and accepted vegetarian diets for dogs, even if unwillingly. Then I answer the most frequently asked questions about vegetarian diets for cats.

1. May the cat have a totally healthy life with a vegetarian diet?
Yes! Both diets provide adequate food, that is, if they are properly balanced and conditioned according to the nutritional requirements of cats.

2. Will the cat suffer the lack of some nutrient?
Cats receiving specific vegetarian diets may not suffer from the lack of any nutrient because the diet is properly formulated, balanced and meet all the specific nutritional requirements. References to the formulation of diets and nutritional requirements for cats and dogs are published by the National Research Council, in the book Nutrients Requirements of Dogs and Cats in 2003 and in Brazil in papers published by nutritionists and researchers Aulus Carciofi, UNESP, and Flavia Saad, UFLA.

3. What ingredients would be more appropriate and would bring more benefits?
As power sources: rice flour, wheat, oats, corn, corn germ, barley, sorghum and linseed oil. As protein sources: corn gluten crumbs, textured soy protein and yeast. There is no ingredient that is universal, miraculously, full, the stronger and bring more benefits to the animals – be they cats, dogs or humans- or to replace all the other ingredients. The important thing is not to use only one source of energy or protein in the formula, but three or more to form a well-balanced mix. Warning: the supplier must be suitable.

4. A vegetarian diet is recommended for obese cats, diabetic, allergic, with renal, cardiovascular problems? Is it a “light” food?
No, in principle it is not a drug ratiow whose purpose is to cure or prevent disease or for the animal to lose weight. A vegetarian diet is within the rating of the Ministry of Agriculture Livestock and Supply (MAPA), a full ration in the same category as the non-vegetarian diets.

5. vegetarian diets have Taurine and Carnitine?
Yes! Vegetarian diets have synthetic Taurine and Carnitine is supplemented. The animal protein sources contain Vitamin B12, Taurine, Carnitine, and to arachidonic acid, nutrients that are not found in plant proteins. However, this does not preclude produce an exclusively vegetarian diet for cats, because there is a synthetic production of Vitamin B12, Taurine and Carnitine. As for Arachidonic Acid, there is no problem because there is a source of any such animal acid that has long been available on the international market. So just conveniently supplement the diet.

Conclusion

It is possible and healthy eating cats and dogs throughout life with an exclusively vegetarian diet. Ask me what advice I would give people who want to adopt a vegetarian diet for their pets, cat and dog. After a philosophical reflection on the word advice, I tell you that there are three options. The first, in a case of dog guardians, is to buy vegetarian food from a reputable animal feed industry. The second is to import the product what is available in the international market, in the case of feed for cats. The third is to do it at home, so the assistance of a veterinarian that is nutritionist is required, so he prescribes and you orient on how to prepare, maintain and provide the diet that will give your cat or dog.